This invention relates to a system and a method for designing a component and more particularly, to a system and a method which utilizes a computer aided design system to provide an automotive component design which is relatively quickly, easily and efficiently generated and/or modified.
Computer aided design systems, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cCAD systemsxe2x80x9d, are used to efficiently design and develop a diverse variety of components and assemblies, such as automotive components and assemblies. CAD systems typically include a computer display or terminal which operates under stored program control and which selectively allows a user to generate, view and modify the component or assembly which is to be designed and/or developed. Particularly, a user selectively enters the data which is used by the CAD system to generate the component design, and manipulates the data to alter the shape, size and/or design of the component in order to meet certain guidelines or criteria.
While computer aided design systems allow components to be relatively quickly generated and designed, they suffer from some drawbacks. For example and without limitation, when designing a component or assembly having a relatively complex shape or geometry, such as an automotive air induction tube, a user typically begins the design process xe2x80x9cfrom scratchxe2x80x9d (i.e., without using a template or platform), and programs or designs the component based upon various rules, guidelines and constraints which must be met or satisfied. The component is defined by a single set or group of equations, coordinates and/or data which describe the geometry or dimensions of the entire component. As a result, the generated component design is created to serve only one purpose, (i.e., to make a single production part) and is difficult to alter or modify. Hence, whenever an alteration or modification of a component is required, designers must begin the design process anew, rather than modifying a previously generated design. This inability to readily modify existing designs undesirably increases the time and expense required to design and develop complex objects or components, thereby decreasing the efficiency and flexibility of the design process.
There is therefore a need to provide a system for designing components which overcomes at least some of the various and previously delineated drawbacks of prior systems and methods, and which provides for the relatively simple creation and modification of component designs.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a system for designing a component which overcomes at least some of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior design systems.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a system for designing a component which allows the component to be relatively quickly and easily generated according to certain design constraints or rules.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a system for designing a component which produces a design which may be relatively easily modified or altered.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a system for designing a tube is provided. The system includes a user interface which accepts first data corresponding to an integer value. The system further includes a computer aided design system which is communicatively coupled to the user interface, which receives the first data from the user interface, and which generates a tube design having a certain amount of curved portions, the certain amount being equal to the integer value.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for generating a tube design within a computer aided design system is provided. The method includes the steps of generating a first tube portion which is defined by a first set of independently programmable parameters; generating a second tube portion which is defined by a second set of independently programmable parameters; and connecting the first and the second tube portion, thereby forming the tube design.